Meet the “Spoiled Rotten Pets”

Every dog has its day, and for Afghan pooch Aiden, 
today is for dancing lessons, while cats Lucky and Missy are legally guaranteed their nightly shrimp 
dinners according to their owner’s last testament. These are just a few of the Spoiled Rotten Pets, a new television series that dives into the world of fawning pet owners who outfit rats in formal wear and pamper Burmese pythons like princes.

The series, which will debut on US cable network Nat Geo Wild on Saturday, follows host Beth Stern as she meets devoted pet owners who go above and beyond spoiling their pets — a venture the network’s chief, Geoff Daniels, said was not so hard to find.

“This is about saying that this is more pervasive that 
anybody thinks,” Daniels, executive vice president for Nat Geo Wild, a sister network of the Natural Geographic Channel, told Reuters. “The show is about colourful and relatable people,” he added. “Everybody knows someone like this or does 
something for their pets to this degree.

Indeed, as the series seeks out the over-the-top pet owner, it also shows they are not alone. After all, there is a thriving market for their spoils of clothing and comfort.

New York resident Cynthia takes time to iron the countless dresses and sweaters that her Yorkie, Toto, wears every day. “Toto is spoiled,” Cynthia says. “I want to do everything possible that I can to make sure that Toto is happy and healthy.”

But Toto also has her own psychic, who cautions that the toy-sized dog feels trapped in her fashionable threads. “She wants to run naked on the beach,” pyschic Madrette says while reading Toto’s paw print.

“Just once in a while, make sure that she feels that she’s being put first ... I think she would really like a mommy-and-me day,” Madrette says in her final analysis.

“It’s really interesting to see how these people put their pet care above their own,” Daniels said. “You consistently get the sense that there’s nothing too great for these animals if you see them as family and friends.”

Enter Diane from upstate New York, who keeps her 10 rats on a strict vegan diet while spoiling newcomer Vinnie with a special first birthday party where he gets his own tuxedo. “It’s one thing about spoiling dogs and cats, but we’re talking donkeys and rats and tortoises,” Daniels said.

Daniels said Nat Geo Wild sees Spoiled Rotten Pets as 
adding a lighter touch to its wildlife-heavy programming, which attracts many more male viewers. “We are really trying to transform our offerings and bring in more women, especially,” Daniels said. “We’re looking for differentiation in the marketplace and a more balanced demographic.”